Grooming and personal hygiene have been around for ages. It's hard to imagine
a time when people weren't concerned with taking care of their appearance and
their bodies. Perhaps these practices started when Adam first took a bath and
combed his hair before going on a date with Eve. Or maybe they began when Eve
put on some herbal makeup to make herself more beautiful. No matter where they
started, grooming and personal hygiene have become an important part of
everyone's daily routine. You might think that all modern societies would have
the same grooming and personal hygiene practices. After all, doesn't everybody
take baths? Most people do recognize the need for hygiene, which is the basis
for cleanliness and health and a good way to keep one's friends. Grooming
practices include all the little things people do to make themselves look their
best, such as combing their hair and putting on make up. However, while most
modern people agree that these things are important, people in different
cultures take care of themselves in different ways.
There used to be an old joke in America that people should take a bath once a
week, whether they need one or not. In fact, though, Americans generally take
a bath or more commonly, a shower every day. But in contrast to some cultures,
most Americans get their shower in the morning, so they can start the day fresh.
And instead of going to a beauty parlor for a shampoo, many Americans prefer
to wash and style their own hair. So if Americans have a "bad hair day," they
have no one to blame but themselves. But most people in America do head for
the beauty parlor or barber shop occasionally for a haircut, a perm or just
some friendly conversation. Americans are known for having very sensitive
noses. In America, body odor is socially unacceptable. For that reason,
Americans consider the use of deodorant or anti-perspire a must. Ladies
often add a touch of perfume for an extra fresh scent. Men may splash on
after shave lotion or manly-smelling cologne. Another cultural no-no in America
is bad breath. Americans don't like to smell what other people ate for
lunch-especially onions or garlic. Their solution? Mouthwash, breath mints
and even brushing their teeth after meals. Some of the cultural variations in
grooming practices result from physical differences between races. Whereas many
Asian men have little facial hair, Westerners have a lot. As a result, most
American men spend some time each day shaving or grooming their facial hair.
Beards and mustaches are common sights in America, although their popularity
changes from generation to generation. Most American men who wear facial hair
try to keep it nicely trimmed. American women, on the other hand, generally
prefer not to be hairy at all. Many of them regularly shave their legs and
armpits. Americans put great value on both grooming and personal hygiene.
For some people, taking care of themselves has become almost a religion.
As the old saying goes, "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Whether or not
being clean and well-groomed brings one closer to God, it certainly brings
one closer to others. Americans look down on people who don't take care of
themselves, or who "let themselves go." To Americans, even if we don't have
much to work with, we have to make the best of what we've got.